1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to deployable seating arrangements, and more particularly, to a deployable bleacher seating arrangement wherein there are provided a plurality of seats for individual users, each seat having an associated seat bottom and seat back.
2. Description of the Related Art
Deployable bleacher seating arrangements generally are provided with a plurality of seating levels, formed of wood, whereby the users are required to sit on the equivalent of a bench seat. Such a seating condition is uncomfortable during extended seating periods. Additionally, bare wood bench seating oftentimes is inappropriately informal for certain events.
Acceptable levels of comfort and formality can be achieved by installing a plurality of individual chairs or seats directly on the various seating levels of the deployable bleacher arrangement. This approach, however, is deficient in that seat backs of adequate height would preclude un-deployment of the bleacher arrangement. That is, when it is desired to restore the bleacher arrangement to its original, undeployed condition, the seat backs would interfere with their immediately superior seating rows, thereby impeding restoration of the bleacher arrangement to an undeployed state. In many convention bleacher seating systems, the problem of seat back interference with a superior row cannot readily be corrected by allowing the seat backs to be folded forward over the seat bottoms, as the stacked seat bottoms and seat backs also are of sufficient height to cause interference during un-deployment.
There is, therefore, a need for a deployable bleacher seating arrangement that can be provided with individual seats with seat backs that do not interfere with immediately superior rows during un-deployment. It is additionally desired that this functionality be achieved without increasing the height between adjacent seating levels.
The foregoing needs in the prior art are fulfilled by this invention which provides a deployable bleacher arrangement of the type having deployed and undeployed states. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a plurality of seating level members each having first and second ends and arranged in sequentially elevated relation to one another by a first predetermined height. Each such seating level member is disposed substantially directly beneath an immediately superior seating level member in substantially stacked relation when the deployable seating arrangement is in the undeployed state. Additionally, each such seating level member is disposed beneath and forward of an immediately superior seating level member in stepped relation when the deployable seating arrangement is in the deployed state. There is also provided a plurality of seats disposed side-by-side on an associated one of the seating level members. Each of the seats has a seat bottom coupled to the associated seating level member for accommodating a user of the deployable bleacher arrangement, the seat bottom having forward and rear portions and arranged substantially parallel to the associated seating level member. Each seat also has a seat back disposed in the vicinity of the rear portion of the seat bottom, the seat back being pivotally displaceable with respect to the associated seating level member between a first position where the seat back is disposed substantially orthogonal to the seat bottom and a second position where the seat back is disposed substantially parallel to the seat bottom. Additionally, each seat has a linkage arrangement that is pivotally coupled to the seat back having a first position corresponding to the first position of the seat back, and a second position corresponding to the second position of the seat back.
In one embodiment of the invention, the first position of the linkage arrangement has locked and unlocked conditions. An unlocking arrangement urges the linkage arrangement from the locked to the unlocked condition. Each seat back is urged into the second position upon the associated linkage arrangement being urged from the locked to the unlocked condition. The associated seat back is urged into the second position in response to the force of gravity upon the linkage arrangement being urged from the locked to the unlocked condition.
In a further embodiment, there is provided an electrical actuator coupled to the unlocking arrangement for urging the unlocking arrangement to urge the linkage arrangement from the locked to the unlocked condition. The electrical actuator may, in some embodiments, be a solenoid, and in other embodiments, an electric motor. In a highly advantageous embodiment, the unlocking arrangement is configured to urge the linkage arrangement from the locked to the unlocked condition for a plurality of the seats simultaneously.